Mark Stuart Chris Forde

1. Social protection for workers in the collaborative economy European Parliament, 30th March 2017 Mark Stuart Chris Forde

2. Background COLLABORATIVE ECONOMY exact figures remain elusive estimates vary considerably definitions vary considerably: platform economy, gig economy, sharing economy? social protection challenge for policy makers

3. Aims How has the collaborative economy evolved? What are the implications and challenges for social protection? Research ongoing – interim findings reported today

4. What is the collaborative economy? Capital intensive Labour intensive Market Non-market Triangular Two-way Delivered online Delivered in person

5. Characteristics of collaborative economy working Younger workforce Often done in addition to main job ‘Transactional’ engagement by workers Mostly low paid, but some high paid

6. Legal issues at national and EU level Definitions of ‘worker’ Excludes many in the collaborative economy Challenges of employment and social protection Diverse configurations of employment arrangements

7. The meaning of the collaborative economy DIFFERING PERCEPTIONS OF THE COLLABORATIVE ECONOMY ‘Gig’ ‘sharing’, ‘platform’ economy Intermediaries /platforms ‘key disrupters’ EU and US: many similarities

8. Results: Size/scope of collaborative economy Little consensus Broad measures : ‘use any kind of platform’; ‘participate in on-demand economy’ Narrow: ‘Paid work via online platform’ (in last week/month) Country-specific variations Benefits and costs

9. Results: Social protection Recognised challenges Variations across countries Better protection - well-established forms of working Intermediaries/platforms – creating/exploiting gaps? Protection not keeping pace with change

10. Extending social protection